Daisy is a Peke-a-Shon - a mix of a Pekineses and a Bichon Frise She was born August 25th, 2009 and currently weighs 4 lbs. I'm told she'll grow to be HUGE - between 12 and 17 pounds! lol... Her older brother, Darby, is a golden retriever -- he's about 80 lbs...after I got over the fear of Darby eating Daisy, they have become good friends and play all the time...
The Bichon Frise is a small, sturdy, little dog. When the dog is clipped in a show cut the body gives off a round appearance. The skull is slightly rounded. The muzzle is shorter than the skull, is not pointed, with a slightly pronounced stop. The round eyes are black or dark brown. The ears are dropped covered in long hair. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite. The legs are straight and medium boned. Dewclaws are usually removed. The tail is carried over the back. The double coat is soft to the touch. The outer coat is 3 to 4 inches (7-10cm.) long and is coarser and curlier than the soft dense undercoat. Coat colors include solid white, cream, gray or apricot. White is preferred in the show ring. The coat is hypo-allergenic. Pet owners usually clip the dog in an easy care puppy cut that is the same length all over the body. The dog can be shown with it's coat clipped like a poodle or with a long, puffy coat with the feet and muzzle clipped.
The Bichon is a fluffy, little white dog that loves human company. It has an independent spirit, is intelligent, affectionate, bold and lively. This charming, gentle dog is not a yapper. It has a self-assured, happy temperament that is easy to live with. These bright little dogs are easy to train and just plain old love everyone. They need people to be happy. They are naturally sociable and are happiest when they are part of a family that takes them everywhere. This sociable trait also means that they are fine in the company of other dogs & pets and are excellent with children. Used as watchdogs and to perform tricks, this breed is competitive and obedient. Like a lot of smaller breeds, the Bichon may be difficult to housebreak. The Bichon Frise needs rules to follow, and limits to what they are and are not allowed to do. They also need a daily pack walk. Do not allow this little dog to develop Small Dog Syndrome, a human induced behavior, where the dog feels he is pack leader to humans. This can cause varying degrees of a wide variety of behavior problems. Including, but not limited to, obsessive barking, guarding, separation anxiety, snapping, and even biting. These are not Bichon traits, but rather behaviors brought on by the way the dog is treated. If you begin to be your dogs pack leader, and are self assured, calm consistently and assertive towards the dog, providing daily pack walks, the Bichon will be a very stable minded, trustworthy dog.
The Pekingese is a small, well-balanced, compact dog. It has a stocky, muscular body that is slightly longer than it is tall. The head is large in proportion to the rest of the body, with the top of the head being massive, broad and flat. The front of the face is flat. The muzzle is broad and flat, thicker below the eyes separating the upper and lower areas of the face. The skin on the muzzle is black. The black nose is broad and short. Teeth meet in an under bite with a broad jaw bone. The large, prominent, round eyes are set wide apart with black eye rims. The ears are set on the front corners of the top of the skull, are heart-shaped, laying flat against the head. They are well feathered so that they appear to blend with the head giving it a rectangular look. The neck is short and thick. The legs are short, thick and heavy-boned. The tail is high-set, slightly arched and carried over the back. The outer coat is long and coarse in texture with profuse feathering. The undercoat is soft and thick. The coat comes in all colors, sometimes with a black mask.
Pekingese are very brave little dogs, sensitive, independent and extremely affectionate with their master. These adorable dogs can make wonderful companions. If overfed, the Pekingese will quickly become overweight. This breed makes a good watchdog. The Pekingese may be difficult to housebreak. Do not allow this dog to develop Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors, where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. This can cause varying degrees of negative behaviors, including, but not limited to obstinate, self-willed, jealousy, separation anxiety, guarding, growling, snapping, biting, and obsessive barking as the dog tries to tell YOU what to do. They can become wary of strangers, and may become untrustworthy with children and even adults. If you feed them table scraps, they have been known to refuse to eat, as much to show dominance over its owner, as to lack of appetite. They can become dog aggressive and courageous to the point of foolhardiness as they try and take over. These are NOT Pekingese traits. They are behaviors resulting from humans allowing them to take over the home. If a Pekingese is given rules to follow, limits to what they are and are not allowed to do, along with a daily pack walk to relieve their mental and physical energy, they will display a totally different, more appealing temperament. It is not fair to leave such a heavy weight on such a small dog, where he feels he has to keep HIS humans in line. As soon as you start showing your Peke you are able to be HIS strong, stable minded pack leader, he can relax and be the wonderful little dog that he is.
